SE Tripped Up in Five-Sets vs. NWOSU

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern's fifth-set woes continued on Friday as the Savage Storm forced a fifth set against Northwestern Oklahoma State, but came out on the wrong end of a 15-12 score to drop the match 3-2 in Bloomer Sullivan Gymnasium.
 
The match also served as senior night for Jessica Baker who, despite being a junior, will be graduating early with a degree in business and forgoing her senior season of eligibility.
 
The loss drops SE to 6-21 on the year and 4-10 in Great American Conference play heading into the final week of the season.
 
The Storm currently sit in the eighth spot in the standing which would earn them a trip to the league's postseason tournament, and a win over Oklahoma Baptist on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. or a loss by Henderson State to Arkansas-Monticello on the same night would secure that spot for SE.
 
The match was the second-straight five-set heartbreaker and the fourth time this season the team has gone to a fifth set and lost.
 
The teams traded sets with the Rangers taking the opener 25-22 before the Storm evened the score at 25-21.  NWOSU struck back with a 25-16 win in set three and again SE knotted the match with a 25-15 win in the fourth set.
 
However, the Rangers would pull out a 15-12 win in the deciding set to swipe the match.
 
Arianna Baker led all attackers with 18 kills on the night, hitting .467 in the process, while fellow middle blocker Julia Benford was right behind with 17 kills and hit .536.
 
The duo finished with 35 kills and hit .500 combined.
 
Abby Jameson recovered form a slow start and added 11 kills, while Caitlyn Mills chipped in five and Jessica Baker added four in her second-to-last home match.
 
Alissa Benson dished out 52 assists on the match, a season-high, while also putting up eight digs and two blocks.
 
Charlene Nerio posted a match-high 20 digs to lead the way, while Kristi Carter added 15 digs and a pair of aces.
 
Jameson completed the double-double with 10 digs.
 
Arianna Baker, Benford and Mills each added three blocks, while Benford chipped in three aces.